1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to track mounting systems and more particularly pertains to a new system for mounting tracks on a wheel of a vehicle for facilitating and expediting the mounting of the wheel on the vehicle when the wheel must be mounted against and in spite of the tension being applied to the wheel by the track.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of tracked vehicles for traversing areas of ground where the soil is loose or extra traction is needed is well known. However, wheeled vehicles such as skid steer utility vehicles or loaders have become popular for projects. However, these wheeled vehicles often traverse ground that is not solid, and thus it has become desirable to mount tracks on the skid steer loaders, and in particular to mount the tracks directly on the wheels of the loader so that virtually nothing more than the track is needed to convert the loader from a wheeled configuration to a tracked configuration. Often the tracks that are employed on the skid steer loaders are formed of an elastomeric and stretchable material so that the tracks are under a degree of tension when they are mounted on the wheels of the loader. This can make the mounting of the tracks on the wheel difficult, as this often requires the track to have a break therein that forms ends that must be brought together against the tension in the elastomeric material in order to mount the tracks.
Even the installation of one-piece or endless tracks presents a challenge, as the track is typically wrapped about a mounted tire and an unmounted tire on a side of the skid steer loader, and the unmounted tire then must be installed on the hub of the axle of the loader while a portion of the track is wrapped about it. Even when the tires of the wheels are partially deflated, the tension present in the elastomeric track can make the alignment of the lug holes of the wheel rim with the lug bolts on the hub of the axle while mounting the wheel difficult, if not virtually impossible, without significant exertion and multiple persons.
In these respects, the system for mounting tracks on a wheel of a vehicle according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of facilitating and expediting the mounting of the wheel on the vehicle when the wheel must be mounted against and in spite of the tension being applied to the wheel by the track.